Light is synonymous with knowledge and helps us open our eyes to truths that were previously hidden from us. God cannot help us when we choose to live a lie, as light begets liberty and nothing sets free more than the truth (John 8:32). Daniel 5:14 tells us that he possessed light, understanding, and excellent wisdom. These three cannot be separated, and the degree to which the Spirit of God has illuminated our hearts determines our discretion and wisdom. We are who we are because of how much truth we know and live by. When we stay blind to the truth, our entire life becomes a lie.
Every person has a history, and every person has experienced moments where they wish they had handled a situation differently. Our limited understanding shapes our daily lives, and our daily guidance is solely determined by the amount of light we receive.
Knowledge drives faith, as faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). What we have an in-depth knowledge of, we do not struggle to believe.
None of us have complete knowledge; not one mortal living today knows it all. But there comes a time when light comes and we break free from ignorance in a particular area. Knowledge brings caution because we become awake to implications, consequences, and responsibilities. A child who knows nothing about the power of electricity sees no danger in cutting through a live wire with his teeth. The more we know, the more careful we become.
The devil’s strategy remains to make our hearts feast on the momentary pleasure of sin while staying blind to its devastating consequences; he bewitches people to downplay sin by color-placing evil and making it appear as something else. If the devil can make us give sin another name that looks a bit more tolerable or acceptable, then he can make us embrace it with our full chest. This explains the many inventions of modern, more tolerable terminologies such as weaknesses, weak point, or faults to describe sin.
God wants to raise us as children that He would be proud of, not as children who bring shame and disgrace to the family name. He wants to look at us and joyfully identify with us, not out of compulsion but out of a sense of genuine pride. If we can’t be proud of our sins when they come to the fore, we should not expect God to be proud of us.
Beyond the fact that living a life of godliness positions us to be blessed, we should never forget that we have a royal family name to protect. An ungodly lifestyle desecrates the throne and presents it as worthless or valueless. We too as children of God must learn to behave each and every day in a manner befitting of the throne that we represent.
When we come into the light, and Christ is that light, we acquire new perspectives and our lives take on a new meaning. The things we once were willing to kill or die for begin to assume increasingly less significance, as the power of grace radically reorders our priorities. Then and only then can we boldly and genuinely declare, “What things were dear to me, I now consider dung for the more excellent value of knowing Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:8).
Beloved, it is my prayer that the LORD would keep providing us with light and understanding. And may we be blessed with the wisdom to perceive properly so that we can avoid the devil’s traps.
Pastor Jerry Orhue
Senior Pastor, Gracevine Chapel
www.gracevinechapel.org
